History of Cooper County, Missouri, Part 17

Author: Johnson, William Foreman, b. 1861
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: Topeka : Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1464

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No enemy being in sight, and the scouts reporting no sign of any, the troops at once marched up the Missouri River towards Boonville, and followed the road about a mile and a half, to the place where it ascends the bluffs, from the river bottom. At this place, several shots from

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General Lyon's scouts announced the driving in of General Marmaduke's pickets. General Lyon then advanced for nearly a mile, and found Gen- eral Marmaduke well posted at the brow of the ascent. Captain Totten opened the engagement by throwing a few nine pound bombshells into the entrenchments of the State troops, while the infantry commenced a heavy volley of musketry, which was well replied to, the balls flying thick and fast among the ranks of the troops, and wounding several on both sides.

The State troops, under the command of General Marmaduke, were posted in a lane running from the Rocheport road in the direction of the river, and west of the residence of William M. Adams, on the north- west corner of the junction of the two roads. During the fight a couple of bombs were thrown through the east wall of Mr. Adam's house, caus- ing the inmates to retreat to the cellar for protection. A heavy fire from Colonel Shaefer's German infantry, General Lyon's company .of regulars, and part of Colonel Blair's regiment which were stationed on the left of the road, compelled the troops of General Marmaduke to retreat.

His force then clambered over the fence into a field of wheat, and again formed in line just below the brow of the hill. They then advanced some twenty steps to meet the Federal troops, and for a short time the artillery of Captain Totten was worked with great rapidity. Just at this the State troops opened a galling fire from a grove just on the left of the Federal center, and from a shed from beyond and still farther to the left.

What had been before this a skirmish now assumed the magnitude of a battle, which continued only about a half hour. The State troops finding the Federals too strong and too well armed and drilled to be successfully opposed by raw recruits (most of them had never been under fire) and having no artillery with which to return the fire from General Lyon's batteries, abandoned the fight and retreated. Captains Cole and Miller took possession of "Camp Bacon," where the State troops had been encamped for two days.

General Lyon continued his march towards Boonville. He was met on the hill near the residence of T. W. Nelson, by James H. O'Bryan, acting mayor of Boonville, Judge G. W. Miller, and other prominent citi- zens, who formally surrendered the town to him, and he immediately marched into and took possession of it.

General Marmaduke commanded the State troops on this occasion. General Price was in ill health, and on the day on which the battle

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occurred he left Boonville on a steamboat for Lexington. Governor Jack- son was on the battleground in the forenoon, but left Boonville on the Georgetown road about 11 o'clock of that day. In this engagement two of Lyon's men were killed and nine wounded. Among the State troops, three were killed and several wounded, but the number of these is unknown.

Kelly's was the only well organized and well drilled company under the command of General Marmaduke, and it did not participate in the battle. It is said that General Price was opposed to making a stand against General Lyon at the time, as all of his troops, except Kelly's company, were raw recruits and very poorly armed and drilled, having rallied at Boonville during the preceding three days. There was consid- erable controversy among the officers and men, whether, considering the circumstances, a stand or retreat should be made; but some of the most enthusiastic, whose counsel prevailed, said that they had come to fight and they intended to do so. There were several prisoners taken by Gen- eral Lyon, but they were afterwards released on parole.

The next day after the battle, General Lyon issued a proclamation, offering full pardon to all who would lay down their arms, return to their homes, relinquish their hostility to the United States Government, and persons who did this were assured that they would not be molested for past offenses. Many who had taken part in this battle availed them- selves of the opportunity offered by General Lyon, and some of them never took up arms again during the war.

General Lyon remained at Boonville for several weeks, during which time he purchased a large outfit of wagons, horses and mules, paying fair prices for them, no pressing or forced sales being made. He also captured every steamboat that passed down the river. On the third day of July, having received reinforcements of an Iowa regiment, he took his departure for the southwest, his objective point being Springfield. A short time before, General Blair left for Washington, to take his seat in Congress, he having been elected a representative from St. Louis.

This being the first battle of the Rebellion which was fought on land, the taking of Fort Sumter having occurred only a short time before, produced great excitement throughout the United States, and General Blair on his way to Washington was met by great crowds of his friends, and lionized, feasted, and toasted, as the "hero of the hour."

Before General Lyon left Boonville, Maj. Joseph A. Eppstein organ- ized two companies of home guards, composed entirely of Germans, which

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HISTORY OF COOPER COUNTY

were commanded by him. They threw up fortifications at the old fair grounds. When he moved to Springfield, he left Major Curly, who was shortly afterwards succeeded by Col. John D. Stephenson, in command at the fortifications.

Doctor Quarles was among the killed of the State troops. His body was found in the wheat field late in the evening after the battle, he hav- ing been severely wounded in the thigh, and not being discovered, bled to death. Young Mccutchen was also wounded in the thigh, and although properly cared for, all their efforts could not save him. He died a few days after the battle. The death of these two gentlemen, so young, so promising and kindhearted, cast a gloom over the entire community, and their loss was universally regretted by all parties. The other gentle- man killed, who was from Pettis County, was shot in the head, and his name is not remembered.

General Parsons, with the artillery belonging to the State troops, arrived too late to engage in the Battle. He came in on the Boonville and Tipton road, via Wilkin's bridge, and halted at the top of the hill, south of Boonville, near Dr. William Trigg's present residence, where, learning that General Marmaduke had been defeated and was retreating, he took the road leading from Boonville to Prairie Lick in a southwest direction, and soon formed a junction with Governor Jackson's state troops.

General Lyon, two days after the battle of Boonville, sent a detach- ment of his force southwest, by way of Syracuse, as far as Florence, Morgan county, in pursuit of Governor Jackson. But finding that the state troops' had moved still farther south, the command returned to Boonville without meeting any of Jackson's command.

Home Guards in Cooper County .- General Nathaniel Lyon, on the 20th day of June, 1861, organized and mustered into service a company of German home guards, consisting of 135 men. Of this company Joseph A. Eppstein was elected captain ; Emil Haas, first lieutenant ; Ernest Roeschel, second lieutenant; and John A. Hain, orderly sergeant. This company was, on the fourth day of August, ordered to Jefferson City for the pur- pose of aiding in the protection of the capital. They together with Colonel Brown's 7th Missouri regiment, were, a short time afterwards, ordered to Otterville. They went by rail to Syracuse, and marched on foot the bal- ance of the way to Otterville, which they immediately occupied.

A large number of southern men living in the vicinity had organized a company, and under the command of Captain Alexander, James B. Harris, and others, were camped near by. These two commands for some reason

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HISTORY OF COOPER COUNTY

not wishing to attack each other, made the following compromise which was suggested by the southern commanders, and after some parley, ac- cepted by Colonel Brown. It was agreed that if the Federal troops would withdraw from Otterville, Captain Alexander would disband his forces, and Colonel Brown ordered his command back to Jefferson City.

Afterwards, the home guards, with part of Colonel Worthington's command, were ordered to Boonville. They ascended the Missouri River in a steamboat, and arrived at Boonville very early on the morning of the day following their start from Jefferson City. The morning was very foggy, so that the boat could hardly be seen from the shore. It passed Boonville under cover of darkness and the fog, and landed at Haas' brew- ery, situated about one-half of a mile west of the city. Here the home guards disembarked, and from thence marched around and surrounded the town before the citizens were aware of their presence. Colonel Worthington, with the men of his command, dropped down on the steam- boat landing at the foot of Main street, and marched up into the town. He then took a number of prominent citizens prisoners, and confiscated the contents of two tin stores and one shoe store, the owners of which were charged with selling goods to the Confederates; he also took posses- sion of the Observer printing establishment, then owned by A. W. Simp- son and had the presses, type, etc., boxed up and shipped to Jefferson City. This was all done under the orders of Colonel U. S. Grant afterwards president of the United States, who was then in command at Jefferson City. The home guards, together with Colonel Worthington's command, on the afternoon of the same day, took with them the prisoners and the property which they had confiscated. The prisoners were afterwards released, and returned home; but most of the property, except that be- longing to the printing establishment, was never seen again by its owners.

Aug. 28th, in the same year, Gen. Jeff C. Davis ordered the home guards to reinforce Colonel Mulligan at Lexington, Missouri. Two days before the 2d Illinois regiment of cavalry had been ordered to the same place, and had started. When Colonel Eppstein, the commander of the home guards, arrived at Tipton, he heard that a part of the 2d Illinois cavalry was at Boonville, and concluded to go there also, and reported to headquarters, that if they had any orders for him, to forward them to him at that place.

Colonel Eppstein was ordered by Gen. Jeff C. Davis, then stationed at Jefferson City, to remain at Boonville and occupy the breastworks, which he did.

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Sept. 1, 1861, the troops around Boonville formed themselves into a battalion, consisting of two and one-half companies; companies A and B, infantry, and one-half a company of cavalry. The officers of the battalion were Joseph A. Eppstein, major; Emil Haas, surgeon ; and John A. Hayne, adjutant; of company A, infantry, were John B. Keiser, captain; John Roterd, first lieutenant; Charles Koch, second lieutenant; of company B, infantry, were Charles Beihle, captain; Joseph Weber, first lieutenant ; John Fessler, second lieutenant. The half company of cavalry was com- manded by Peter Ostermyer.

About four days afterwards, this battalion received information that it would be attacked by the Confederates from several surrounding counties. Colonel Eppstein immediately arrested a number of the most prominent southern men in Boonville, viz: N. H. Ells, Rev. H. M. Painter, William E. Burr, J. W. Draffen, James Harper, and Joseph L. Stephens, and held them as hostages, hoping thereby to prevent the contemplated attack. But about six o'clock on the morning of the 13th day of Sept., 1861, while Eppstein's command was at breakfast, the pickets having all come in, the breastworks were attacked by a force of about eight hun- dred men under the command of Colonel Brown, of Saline County. The fortifications were attacked on the west, southwest and southeast sides. The first attack was from the southwest, the next through Lilly's field on the southeast, and finally extended around to the west side. At first, the firing was very rapid from the southwest and southeast, and soon afterwards from the side of the fortifications, the balls falling thick on every side. Colonel Brown led the attack on the southeast, and made two charges upon the breastworks, but was compelled to fall back each time under the heavy fire from the intrenchments. In the second attack Colonel Brown was mortally wounded, and fell within 50 feet of the breast- works. A short time afterwards, his brother, Captain Brown, was also mortally wounded, and fell about ten feet behind him. The Browns were both brave men, and fought with desperation and with utter disregard of their own safety. After the two Browns had fallen mortally wounded, and Major Poindexter been left in command of the Confederates, Mr. Burr, who was one of the prisoners at the breastworks, having become satisfied that the entrenchments could not be taken, asked, and was granted permission to visit the Confederates, under a flag of truce, in order to see what arrangements could be made so as to bring about a cessation of hostilities. The two commanders finally agreed upon an armistice for seven days, Major Poindexter's troops to be withdrawn from

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the breastworks and city, a distance of three miles, and were not to enter town only for medicine during that time; Poindexter was to return all horses taken from Union men, and surrender the arms of the men who had fallen in the engagements. If the terms of the armistice were broken by Poindexter, then Rev. H. M. Painter was to be shot.

The home guards numbered about 140 effective men. Their loss was two killed and seven wounded. The names of the killed were John A. Hayne, adjutant, and Kimball, a private. The number of Colonel Brown's command who were killed and wounded is not known. Colonel and Captain Brown were, after the battle, taken to a hospital at Boonville. The colonel died of his wounds the same evening; the captain lingered until the next day, when he too died. Their bodies were taken to Saline County for burial.

At the commencement of the battle, messengers were dispatched by three different routes, viz: by way of Tipton, Jefferson City road and down the river in a skiff, asking for reinforcements. Of these messengers, none reached Jefferson City except Joseph Read and Joseph Reavis, who went down the river. Those who went by the way of Tipton and the Jefferson City road, were captured by Colonel Brown's men while they were on the way.

On the 14th, at 10 o'clock p. m., the force at Boonville was reinforced by the 5th Iowa regiment, under the command of Colonel Worthington, which came up the river on a steamboat. After the armistice had ex- pired, Major Poindexter drew off his men and marched up the river to join General Price, at Lexington.

In Nov., 1861, a scouting party of three men belonging to the home guards, started out to gain information in regard to a band of bush- whackers, who were thought to have their headquarters somewhere in Clark's Fork township, in this county. While approaching the house of William George, in said township, they were fired upon from the house, and one of their number killed. The scouts then returned to Tipton, and having obtained reinforcements, returned and burned William George's house.

On Sept. 16, 1861, Colonel Eppstein's battalion was commanded by Colonel Worthington to take possession of and guard the bridge across the Lamine River, on the road from Boonville to Arrow Rock. Before their arrival at the bridge, they heard the firing of several minute guns behind them, which were intended to warn the state troops of the approach of Colonel Eppstein's men. They reached the bridge in the night, and were

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LAURA SPEED ELLIOTT HIGH SCHOOL, BOONVILLE, MO.

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fired upon from the opposite side of the river by the state troops, who seemed to have taken possession of the bridge. Colonel Eppstein returned the fire, and mortally wounded a young man named Herndon, who lived in Lamine township, in this county. He was taken to the house of Mr. William Higgenson, where he soon afterwards expired. The state troops soon retreated and left Colonel Eppstein's troops in possession of the bridge, where they remained until Sept. 19th, when they were ordered to return to Boonville.

Soon afterwards, Colonel Worthington ordered Colonel Eppstein to take his command with him and burn this same bridge, it having been reported that General Price's army was marching towards Boonville from that direction, and would probably cross the Lamine at this point. Colonel Eppstein endeavored to dissuade him from this purpose by telling him that this would only delay Price a single day, as he could cross a short distance above; but Colonel Worthington replied that it must be done, as he deemed it to be a military necessity. So the bridge was burned according to his order. This proved to be a false alarm, as Price was not on his way to Boonville, and did not attempt to march in that direction.

Under a special law of congress, passed on account of a general dis- satisfaction among the home guards all over the state, Colonel Eppstein's battalion was reorganized, and became a part of the Missouri state militia. Six companies were raised and organized at Boonville, and to these were added two companies from St. Louis, thus forming the 13th regiment of the Missouri state militia cavalry. The company of infantry which was commanded by Capt. Charles Biehle, joined the 1st Missouri state militia infantry. Afterwards the 13th infantry was consolidated with four com- panies of the 12th regiment, and Schofield's "hussars", and from that time formed the 5th regiment, the old 5th having previously been dis- banded.

The officers of this regiment were Albert Sigel, colonel; Joseph A. Eppstein, lieutenant-colonel; John B. Kaiser, major; and John Fetzer, surgeon. This regiment after being thoroughly organized and fully drilled and equipped, was ordered to Waynesville, in the Rolla district, where they remained and from which place they operated during the war. Part of this regiment was under the command of Colonel Brown during his pursuit of Shelby, when in October, 1863, he made his raid through the state in the direction of Boonville.

Price's Raid .- Six companies of the 5th regiment, under the command

(13)

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of Colonel Eppstein, composed a portion of the forces of General Sanborn during his operations against General Price in his raid through Missouri in the fall of 1864. General Sanborn, at first supposing that General Price would march in the direction of Rolla, concentrated his forces at that place, but finding that General Price was making for Jefferson City, he moved his command to the latter place, on the way marching nearly parallel with the Confederates; for while he was crossing the Osage River at Castle Rock, General Price was crossing the stream eight miles below. Colonel Eppstein's command had a slight skirmish with the Confederate advance guard between the Osage and the Moreau creek, but he succeeded in reaching Jefferson City first.

General Sanborn had concentrated at that place, 3,000 infantry and 4,000 cavalry, most of them regulars, and all of them well-armed and drilled. General Price's army numbered about 20,000 men, yet there were thousands of them who had no arms, and had never seen anything like a battle. Neither had his troops been organized and placed under com- manders, as many of them had flocked to his standard as he had marched through the state. As he was continually on the march, he had no oppor- tunity to effect organization in the ranks at this time although shortly afterwards he had them under perfect control.

Price only made a slight attack on Jefferson City with a small por- tion of his forces, then withdrew without a general battle, and marched across the country in the direction of Boonville. General Sanborn, as soon as he learned the true state of affairs, started his cavalry in pursuit of the Confederates. The cavalry had skirmishing with the Confederate rear guard, which was commanded by General Fagan at Stringtown, Rus- selville, and California, on the 10th day of Oct., 1864. During these skirmishes, three of Colonel Eppstein's men were killed and 13 wounded. The loss of the Confederates is unknown. Price camped, on the night of the 10th, on the Moniteau creek just within the limits of Cooper County, and on the next day marched to Boonville.

The Federals moved west and camped on the upper Tipton road, about eleven miles south of Boonville, at Crenshaw's farm. On the 12th of Oct., Colonel Graveley, with about four hundred mounted men of San- born's command, advanced by way of the Tipton road to within about one-half of a mile of Boonville, to test the strength, and if possible, to find out the contemplated movements of General Price's command. At what is known as the Vollrath place, about one-half mile south of Boon- ville, Colonel Graveley came upon some Confederate companies in camp,

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and some lively fighting ensued, but finding the Confederates too strong for them, the Federals retreated to the main army.

On the 12th, Colonel Eppstein with about 350 men of his command, moved toward Boonville, and camped at Bohannon's farm, about seven miles south of Boonville. Early on the morning of the 13th, he was ordered to advance as far as he could in the direction of Boonville, and reconnoitre General Price's position. Immediately upon receiving this order he commenced his march with the above mentioned number of men and two mountain howitzers, and on arriving at Wilkin's bridge, across the Petite Saline creek, his command was fired upon by a band of about 400 men under the command of General Fagan, who were guarding the bridge. Colonel Eppstein returned the fire, and ordered four mounted companies to dismount and deploy as skirmishers. After some little skirmishing along the banks of the creek, General Fagan, leisurely re- treated toward Boonville. After going north about one-half of a mile, to where a lane crosses the main road, south of Mrs. McCarty's house, Colonel Eppstein, who was in pursuit, found that General Fagan had barri- caded the road with trees, etc. Here Miller's and Murphy's companies had a close fight with the Confederates, even using swords and bayonets. These two companies were surrounded at one time and ordered by the Confederates to surrender but the other two companies of Colonel Epp- stein's command coming up to their aid, General Fagan again fell back. At this place two of the Federals were wounded, but none hurt upon the other side.

General Fagan next made a stand at Anderson's branch, and here the two forces had a more severe battle. Three of the Federals were killed, and seven wounded. The killed were: Fred Hoecher; a man named Jones; while the name of the other is not known. The loss of the Confederates, as was afterwards learned, was considerable.

General Fagan by this time had brought up four pieces of artillery, and commenced shelling the woods along Anderson's branch in which Ccl- onel Eppstein was stationed. The Federals then received orders to fall back, and retreated to California, Moniteau County, to obtain supplies. They soon afterwards returned to Crenshaw's farm, and there halted and took dinner. Here General Sanborn learned that Price had left Boon- ville, so marching west he camped for the night at New Nebo church. The next morning he continued his march in the direction of Georgetown.

In. Aug., 1864, Captain Parks with two companies, of which Franklin Swap was first lieutenant and provost marshal, being a part of the Iowa

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cavalry, had command of the post at Boonville. Finding but little to do on this side of the river, they crossed over into Howard County, in search of Anderson's bushwhackers-passed through New Franklin, and took the road east leading to Rocheport. Although warned by the citizens of his danger, as Anderson was known to be in full force 'in the neighbor- hood, Captain Parks marched on. When about one mile east of New Franklin, his command was suddenly attacked by Anderson's men, and cut into two parts, seven of them being killed by the first fire. The greater part of his command retreated to a house in the Missouri River bottom. and kept Anderson at bay by firing through the cracks of the house. Captain Parks, at the outset, became separated from his men, and retreated towards Fayette until he met Major Leonard's command, which happened to be marching in that direction. With this he returned to the relief of his company, and Anderson having learned of his approach, drew of his men and retired.

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History of Cooper County, Missouri, Part 17

Author: Johnson, William Foreman, b. 1861 Publication date: 1919 Publisher: Topeka : Historical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1464

Author: Johnson, William Foreman, b. 1861
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: Topeka : Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1464